Brachypelma is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). They may have bodies up to 6 cm long with legs of similar or greater lengths. Some species have brightly colored legs, with red or orange marks and rings.
Euathlus is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1875. These spiders are medium sized and are usually found in high elevations in the Andes. It is a senior synonym of Paraphysa, and was formerly considered a senior synonym of Brachypelma, but this was later rejected.
Acanthoscurria theraphosoides is a species of spider from the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and French Guiana.
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. As of December 2023, 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although many other members of the same infraorder (Mygalomorphae) are commonly referred to as "tarantulas" or "false tarantulas". Some of the more common species have become popular in the exotic pet trade. Many New World species kept as pets have setae known as urticating hairs that can cause irritation to the skin, and in extreme cases, cause damage to the eyes.
The skeleton tarantula, Ephebopus murinus, is a species of spider belonging to the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), sub-family Aviculariinae. A New World species, it is native to several South American countries. Its common name is derived from the skeleton-like markings on its legs.
Brachypelma albiceps is a species of spider in the tarantula family, Theraphosidae. It is known as the Mexican golden red rump tarantula or the Amula red rump tarantula. The carapace is a light golden color and the abdomen dark, covered with long red hairs. Females typically live for about 15 years. Males usually live about 5 years or up to 12 months after the last molt.
Cyclosternum is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871.
The Aviculariinae are a subfamily of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). They can be distinguished from other theraphosids by a number of characters. Their legs have no or few spines on the underside of the tibial and metatarsal joints of the legs. The last two leg joints have brushes of hairs (scopulae) that extend sideways, particularly on the front legs, giving them a spoon-like (spatulate) appearance. Females have two completely separated spermathecae.
The Ischnocolinae are a problematic subfamily of tarantulas. In 1892, Eugène Simon based the group, which he noted was only weakly homogeneous, on the presence of divided tarsal scopulae. This feature was later considered to be plesiomorphic, and both morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that, as traditionally circumscribed, the subfamily is not monophyletic. A much more narrowly defined Ischnocolinae sensu stricto was proposed in 2014. One of the authors of that proposal subsequently said that no further taxonomic changes should be considered until there had been a more comprehensive sampling of the subfamily. As of January 2021, the status of the Ischnocolinae remains unresolved.
Aphonopelma serratum is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Mexico. This species was first described as Eurypelma serratum in 1891 by Eugène Simon, and was transferred to the genus, Aphonopelma, in 1993 by Günter Schmidt.
Holothele is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Ferdinand Anton Franz Karsch in 1879. Originally placed with the curtain-web spiders, it was transferred to the tarantulas in 1980.
Davus, also known as the tiger rump tarantulas, is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). It was formerly included in Cyclosternum. They are medium to large tarantulas, found in Central America and Mexico.
Hapalopus is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1875.
Homoeomma is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. It is considered a senior synonym of Calopelma, Butantania, and of Cyclothoracoides. These tarantulas are usually quite small and usually burrow a few centimeters under a rock or log.
Eurypelmella is a nomen dubium for a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae. It has been regarded as a synonym for Schizopelma, but this was disputed in 2016.
Rick C. West is a Canadian arachnologist and an expert on the taxonomy of tarantula spiders. West was born in Victoria, British Columbia. He has been interested in spiders since childhood, and collected his first tarantula, Aphonopelma eutylenum, at the age of 13. He worked primarily as a Chief Constable for a local Animal Humane Society, but also have been involved with the collecting, breeding, rearing and photography of theraphosid spiders. West has traveled to over 27 countries to document and study them in their environment, has been a host, presenter and co-producer in several tarantula documentaries and has also described several genera and species.
Tliltocatl verdezi is a species of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in Mexico.
Tliltocatl is a genus of North American tarantulas that was split off from Brachypelma in 2020. They are also large burrowing tarantulas, but don't have the striking red leg markings of Brachypelma species. A female T. vagans can grow up to 50 mm (2.0 in) long and legs can get as long as 55 mm (2.2 in). They are found predominantly in Mexico, with some species native to Central America. The name is derived from two Nahuatl words, "tlil", meaning "black", and "tocatl", meaning "spider". Habitat destruction and collection for the pet trade has led to this and Brachypelma to be protected under International Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species rules, beginning with B. smithi.
Hapalopus coloratus is a species of tarantula found in Panama. It was first described by Carlos E. Valerio in 1982 as Metriopelma coloratum. It was transferred to the genus Hapalopus in 2016.
Spinosatibiapalpus is a genus of tarantulas erected by Gabriel and Sherwood in 2020 for a newly discovered species and two other previously described species bearing a unique palpal bulb morphology. The name is a reference to the spines found on the fourth section of the pedipalp in adult males. This distinctive feature was also found in Pseudhapalopus species, but because it is never mentioned in the original description of that genus, Gabriel and Sherwood called into question the validity of Pseudohapalopus, and moved all its species except P. aculeatus, known only from a single male found in Bolivia in 1907. It is impossible to place P. aculeatus because the holotype was destroyed when the museum housing it was bombed during World War II, and it has been declared as nomen dubium.
